Key Takeaways
- Air India A320 issued a stall warning during a flight from Phuket to New Delhi.
- Passengers and crew were injured when the plane experienced a rapid pitch up and down.
- Investigations are ongoing to determine the cause of the hydraulic system failure.
An Air India A320 aircraft, flying from Phuket to New Delhi, issued a stall warning when the seatbelt signs were off, resulting in a chaotic descent that injured 24 passengers and crew, according to a preliminary report from India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB).
The Airbus plane, cruising at 36,000 feet, experienced a rapid ascent of 372 feet followed by a descent to 292 feet below its initial altitude within two seconds. The event was initially classified as a serious incident but was later updated to an accident.
The stall warning was triggered by the loss of all three hydraulic systems within four seconds, which disengaged the autopilot and set off a continuous cockpit alarm. The hydraulic systems began recovering about nine seconds after the first system was lost, according to the report.
The first officer was flying the plane at the time of the incident, but the captain took over the controls. Both pilots have been interviewed as part of the investigation. Air India is cooperating fully with the probe and providing investigators with access to operational, maintenance, and technical records.
The incident has added to the scrutiny of Air India, which has been under intense regulatory and public pressure since a June 2025 crash that killed 260 people. The airline is also facing questions over a positive test result for a psychoactive substance by the flight’s captain, though the specific substance is not disclosed in the report.
The AAIB recommended that the aviation regulator take appropriate action to prevent abuse of psychoactive substances, calling the finding a ‘serious concern.’ India is considering annual drug testing of all pilots after the accident, expanding beyond the current requirement of 10% annual testing.
Air India is implementing a one-time mandatory substance testing for all pilots, and Airbus has reviewed the incident, noting that the A320 aircraft registered losses in all three hydraulic systems in quick succession, briefly leaving key flight controls unresponsive.
For about four seconds, the pilots were unable to use the elevators and ailerons, which control the aircraft’s pitch and banking, Airbus’ analysis showed. The preliminary report did not make any recommendations to Airbus, which stated that the issue was related to the hydraulic systems.
Air India is controlled by the Tata Group, while Singapore Airlines owns a significant stake in the airline. The company is seeking $1.5 billion from its owners, Tata and Singapore Airlines, as losses mount.
